Palo Alto High School - Madrono Yearbook (Palo Alto, CA)

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Page PRESENT SCHOOL BUILDING ON NORTH MAIN STREET History of Vassar Public Schools The progress of Vassar has been marked by the increasing ex- cellence of its school system. The first school in Vassar was held only a few months after the town was officially organized, in 1851. It was started through the efforts of Townsend North, the well known founder of Vassar. The Curtis Shanty , 0.1 South Main Street, where the Vas- sar Dairy now stands, was used for a school house. Miss Augusta Slafter was hired to conduct school for three months during the summer, at a salary of one dollar and a half per week and the privilege of 'boardina around' with the parents of pupils. It is an interesting fact that Tefl Slafter and Ted Hart, Seniors this year, are distantly related .to Mis: Slafter. The next year a frame school house was built. D. G. Wilder. Charles Fonda, and A. J. Leach taught here during the terms of 1852 and 1853. This served as a school building for several years. In 1860 a brick school house was built on the place where the High School now stands. Mr. Keyes was the t rst principal in this new building. It was graded in 1864 bv ex-congressman E. P. Allen. but diplomas were not grranted until 1871. An addition was made to this building in 1881, to provide for in- creased enrollment. Later, excavations were made for basements, but work was never completed. Cement steps were built to replace the original wooden ones. ln 1886 a school was built on the east side of the river. This was later named the McKinley School in honor of President McKinley. At one time the mothers of children in this school formed a lVlother's Club. This organization accomplished, among other fine things. the remodeling of the basement of the McKinley School into a playroom for the children. Eight

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Administration

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Another small school was built in 12569. 'rms was known as tne Townsend Norm bcnool. 'Lne build- ing, on Maple Street, has now been con- verted into a two- tamily house. Catastrophe in the form of a tire, came in 1917. Since it nappened at night there were no casual- ties, but it was a serious loss to the community, as not only tne school building, but also many valuable re- cords, were destroy- ed. A new school building was imme- diately started, and completed in time for the fall term of 1918. Recent progress in Vassar Schools has been the completion and dedication ol' SECOND SCHOOL BUILDING the New Addition on January 21, 1937. An ever increasing attendance has demanded a larger building. The Addition was made possible through the cffortz' of Superintendent Brant and the Vassar Board of Education. Funds I.AeI?fr1 ,an Usa' ' :LQ5 4 7 FIRST BUILDING ON SOUTH MAIN Page Nine'